Aleksandr Nevsky Lavra
Saint Aleksandr Nevsky Lavra or Saint Aleksandr Nevsky Monastery was founded by Peter I of Russia in 1710 at the eastern end of the Nevsky Prospekt in Saint Petersburg supposing that that was the site of the Neva Battle in 1242 when Aleksandr Nevsky, defeated the Swedes; however, the battle actually took place about away from that site.http://www.sacred-destinations.com/russia/st-petersburg-alexander-nevsky-monastery.htm "Aleksandr Nevsky Monastery, St. Petersburg", Retrieved 2011-07-17 "On April 5, 1713, in St. Petersburg, in the presence of Peter I, the wooden Church of the Annunciation was consecrated. This day is considered the official founding date of the Aleksandr Nevsky Lavra."Imperial Russia "The relics of St. Aleksandr Nevsky were solemnly transferred from Vladimir to the new capital of Russia September 12, 1724 by decree of Peter the Great."Imperial Russia Nevsky became patron of the newly founded Russian capital; however, the massive silver sarcophagus of St. Alexander Nevskyhttp://members.tripod.com/shtyetz_john/life-of-st-alexander.html "Photo of the Sarcophagus of St. Alexander Nevsky located in St. Petersburg", Retrieved 2011-07-17 was relocated during Soviet times to the State Hermitage Museum where it remains (without the relics) today. In 1797, the monastery was raised to the rank of lavra, making it only the third lavra in the Russian Orthodox Church that had that designation bestowed upon it, following only the Kiev Monastery of the Caves and the Trinity Monastery of St Sergius. The monastery grounds contain two baroque churches, designed by father and son Trezzini and built from 1717–1722 and 1742–1750, respectively; a majestic Neoclassical cathedral, built in 1778–1790 to a design by Ivan Starov and consecrated to the Holy Trinity; and numerous structures of lesser importance. It also contains the Lazarev and Tikhvin Cemeteries, where ornate tombs of Leonhard Euler, Mikhail Lomonosov, Alexander Suvorov, Nikolay Karamzin, Modest Mussorgsky, Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, Fyodor Dostoevsky, Karl Ivanovic Rossi, Prince Garsevan Chavchavadze, a Georgian aristocrat, Sergei Witte and other famous Russians are preserved. During the Revolution, People's Commissar of Social Welfare Kollontai wanted to convert the monastery into a 'sanctuary for war invalids'; she sent a group of sailors 19 January 1918, who were met by an angry crowd of worshipers, and after some fighting a priest was shot and killed.Figes, Orlando: A People's Tragedy: The Russian Revolution 1891–1924. The Bodley Head, London (2014). p. 528 Today Aleksandr Nevsky Lavra sits on Aleksandr Nevsky Square, where shoppers can buy bread baked by the monks. Visitors may also visit the cathedral and cemeteries for a small admission fee. While many of the grave sites are situated behind large concrete walls, especially those of famous Russians, many can be seen by passers-by while strolling down Obukovskoy Oburony Street. Gallery File:lavra ivanov.jpg|thumb|View of the monastery in the early 19th century File:Sarcophagus of St. Alexander Nevsky, St. Petersburg.JPG|The silver sarcophagus of Saint Alexander Nevsky now located in the State Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg See also *Trinity Cathedral, Saint Petersburg *Alexander Nevsky Cathedrals References External links * Official site of the Aleksandr Nevsky Lavra * Aleksandr Nevsky Lavra (Monastery) (Saint Petersburg) * Лавра во имя Святой Живоначальной Троицы Александро-Невская на сайте Русское православие * Каталог Православной Архитектуры — Свято-Троицкая Александро-Невская Лавра Category:Monasteries in Russia Category:Monasteries in Saint Petersburg Category:Russian Orthodox monasteries Category:Russian Orthodox churches in Saint Petersburg Category:Religion in Saint Petersburg Category:Tourist attractions in Saint Petersburg Category:1710 establishments in Russia Category:Religious organizations established in the 1710s Category:Nevsky Prospekt Lavra Category:Christian monasteries in Russia